Ten Years Ago Today - 9/11

Do you remember where you were standing ten years ago when the news of the attack on the Twin Towers happened? I do. I can still picture myself in my living room watching the morning news. With disbelief, I went to get Jim and told him he needed to come and see this. How could this happen? Most people can remember where they were and what they were doing. As I have watched interviews with people, ten years later, some of them being the kids who never knew the parent they lost and some who were older, the one thing that strikes me in these children is that none of them showed hatred. They remember the good. They chose to remember the good times, the good memories, and the special things. Every year they have to relive that day as the whole nation mourns that day. We can't always know why things happen but we can choose the way we respond. After ten years, there has been a level of healing.
When we are hurt by others, when we feel violated, we need to remember that God is good all the time. When we hurt, He is salve. When we are in pain, He is the comforter.
On this day in history, remember how we stood together as a country. Remember the men and women who have faught and continue to fight for our freedoms. Remember that we still have freedom.  We also need to remember to hold up our leaders in prayer and continue to pray for our country and for our enemies. 
We will never forget.

Beautiful

Of all the things that we devote our time and energy to everyday, He alone is worthy of our praise and our worship.
Revelation 4:8b, "Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'"

More from the Art Revue

Jonathan took Film 101 and Claymation.  Although the video picture and quality are not great, these videos are showing what they did in this class.  He's not in all of them, but it is what his class did.



This one really touched my heart because when we first went to the school, Jonathan was a bit reluctant. But this is exactly how things go at MSOA. Everyone becomes part of a big family.



This is the video that Jonathan's Claymation class did.



Erin's choir class preformed two songs last night. One song is in two sections because it was long.






Hopefully you enjoy their performing arts part of their school also.

Art Exhibit and Revue

Last night was the Master's School of Art (MSOA) art exhibit and revue.  This is a wonderful time to see all of the art work that the kids have done over the semester.  The talent that is coming from MSOA is outstanding.  These kids are using their talents and abilities to glorify God. Here are some pictures of the exhibit. 

 College level paintings

 College level drawings

 9 to 12 year old level painting

 13 to 18 year old level paintings

 13 to 18 year old level paintings

All school finale.

Jonathan and Erin had several pieces in the exhibit rooms.

 Jonathan - color pencil 101

 Jonathan - Anime

 Jonathan - Computer Art 101

This is a picture of I-5 from California to Oregon.  Jonathan added the buffalo and the fox to the road.

Jonathan - Computer Art 101

Jonathan added the space ships to the space background.

 Erin - Painting 101

 Erin - Color Theory

 Erin - Color Pencil 101

Erin - Drawing 101

The kids are already registered for the fall semester and they are talking about what classes they want to take.  I may even look into officially taking some classes.  I have been asked to take a painting teacher training class this summer and to help teach beginning level painting next year.  Sounds like fun to me!

My Latest Color Pencil

     My latest color pencil project is dear to my heart.  When I saw the picture, I thought of children and missions, both of which are dear to me.  When we were in Mexico, we worked at a youth home that takes in street kids.  Some of these kids, when asked what they want to do when they are grown, declared that they wanted to be missionaries.  I love this picture with the children's hands holding the world.  At the top, I have printed Matthew 28:19, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations." 
     I have been part of a team, at our church, that is discipling middle school kids.  I love seeing them catching on to their value, identity and purpose in Christ.  I have recently been talking to a seventeen year old who is sensing God calling her to missions.  These kids a ripe for the calling and I am thankful that God is allowing me to be part of this. 

Life...

     How is it that life just seems to fly by?  How is it that when I look at my blog, which isn't all that often lately, I realize that I haven't updated it in two months?  My apologies. 
     Life has been good lately.  We celebrated Easter with some family.  Two of Jim's brothers and their families were with us.  We had a great time of food and fellowship.

 Jim cutting the turkey that Tabitha brought.

 Luke cutting the ham.  My mother-in-law made a 22 pound ham.

 Visiting.

We had lots of kids here that day.

Erin and James

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     The kids are finishing up school which I am excited for also.  Only four more weeks.  We end on June 10th.  Our last day of art classes is this Thursday and then the art revue is on the 26th.  We will miss going to art class over the summer but we have already signed up for next year.  We are all looking forward to that.  Here is my latest color pencil picture I am working on.  It will be finished this week so that it can go on display during the exhibit portion of the revue.

 This is Jonathan's first color pencil project.

Erin's first color pencil project. 

Both kids did a wonderful job on their color pencil pieces.

     If you live in the area and would like to attend the Art Revue, it is on Thursday, May 26 at Sunnyside Foursquare in Clackamas.  E-mail me for specifics.

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     A big event that just occured was Erin's birthday.  She is now officially a teenager.  She turned 13 on May 14th.  She celebrated by having a sleepover with five of her friends.  They had a great time and stayed up way too late.  She followed that up on her birthday by going with the youth group on an outing to the mall, a buffet dinner at Hometown Buffet, swimming and then games back at the church.  She was one tired girl by the end of her birthday.

     Yes, she chose a race car for her cake.  She such a silly girl.  It is wonderful to see the kids growing up and seeing them serving in our church in different ways.  They are growing so fast and before we know it, they will be adults.  In less than two months, Jonathan will be sixteen.  He told us last night that he has decided he wants to be a computer engineer.  Now to see how to help him reach those goals.

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    I have also been enjoying watching our grandkids from time to time.  We are now expecting our seventh grandchild on Christmas day.  We are very excited and everyone seems to be hoping for a girl.  So far, there are five boys and one girl so it is time for Brooklyn to have a sister. 

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     As I am thinking over the past couple of months since I posted last, I realized that I made a trip back east to visit my family also.  That was in the middle of March.  I had a wonderful time visiting my parents, my siblings, and their families.  We are planning another trip in August, Lord willing.  While I was there I was able to do some painting with my dad which was a lot of fun. 

 Dad painting his picture.

 My mom

 My brother, Chris.

 My nephew, Christopher and his new wife, Caitlin.  They are currently living in Germany.  Cait is in the Air Force and is stationed there.

 Jordan and Ethan, my niece and nephew.

 Noah, my nephew.

     Dad and Mom at a family birthday party.

     I think that kind of updates the last two months.  

     

Things...

Remember the saying, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb?  The last week of February brought snow to us here in the Portland area. Once the snow left, we had rain, rain and more rain. In fact, it is raining still. The forecast for the next week is calling for rain. We love the rain but we are ready for spring so we are really hoping that March will truly go out like a lamb.   

Last weekend Jonathan went on the high school winter retreat. He had a fabulous time and was really touched by the Lord. We are enjoying watching him grow in his faith. He is in a Bible study on Thursday nights with a small group of young people and is enjoying it very much. Erin will be going on the middle school winter retreat in two weeks. She is very excited for this.  She contiues to grow in the Lord also and is involved with her weekly discipleship group. We're very proud of both of them.

Recently I decided to look for some of my art work from before Jim and I got married.  Here are a few drawings I did when I was a teenager.  I am loving getting back into my art.  It has been a long time since I have done any.  The kids are continuing to enjoy their art school and I am enjoying some of the things I am learning from helping out in the classes. 

The Dancer

This was a picture on the side of one of my mom's planters or canisters in the kitchen, can't remember which.

A silk rose that I had in my bedroom growing up.

One of my mom's plants.

I saw a picture of a boy in a magazine and decided to draw him.  This was my first attempt any any portraits and I believe it was the last one I ever did.  Maybe I should try again.  Unfortunately the paper was large and I folded it to store it so there is now a line in the middle of his face.

I posted this on facebook but thought I would put it here also.  This is a painting I did last week after learning some tips and techniques while helping out in the painting class.

Another Picture

It's a little harder to draw things out of my head, rather than looking at a picture, since I have to imagine the shadowing and depth of objects.  I stayed up way too late working on this last night and finished it today.  It kind of reminds me of a picture that may have been drawn as an illustration in a children's book.  I am pleased with it. 

What's New

     It has now been a little more than six months since we arrived back in Oregon and things are going well.  We thank the Lord for all he is doing in our family.  It has been quite an adjustment coming back and getting back into the swing of things but I think we are finally feeling totally at home again.  We have wondered what God has in store for us now and tonight I went to an informational/brainstorming meeting at our church that had to do with our church reaching out to the Hispanic, Latin American people here in the Gresham, Portland area.  Of course this is something that is near and dear to our hearts and we can definitely understand what people go through living in another country and another culture.  We are in the beginning stages but I am very excited to be involved in the process.  God is opening doors to continue in His calling to work the Hispanic people.  On another level of ministry, I am volunteer in the middle school as a small group leader on Sunday mornings. This is a new area for me but something that God placed on my heart come time ago.  Jim and I are both helping out in the High School ministry on Sunday night also.  We help out wherever we are needed which can be different from week to week.  We are both enjoying the time with the youth at our church. 
     Since we returned, Erin began meeting with the ReActs group.  This is a discipleship group that meets once a week.  She has been helping out with events that are planned for middle schoolers.  Jonathan  has been going to youth group on Wednesday nights with a friend and has also joined a Bible study on Thursday nights with some of the kids from that youth group.  He is also helping out in the middle school on Sunday mornings.  We are pleased to see them getting involved and growing in the Lord.

      Another new thing that began just last week is Master's School of Art.  A friend of Erin's told us about this school and we decided it would be a good thing for our family. It is am amazing school and is very family oriented.  The classes are for ages 9 up to adults.  We went to their Revue a couple of weeks ago and the art work was amazing!  We attend one day a week, on Thursdays. It is all day and right now, Jonathan is taking Computer Art 101, Claymation, Anime 101, Film 101, and Cartooning 101. Erin is taking Color Theory/Compostion, Choir, Painting 101, Drawing 101, and Lyrical Dance. Both kids would like to switch their last class to Colored Pencil 101 but we will need to see if there is room in the class. I am helping out in four classes. It's been many years since I have really done much with my drawing or painting, but I am enjoying the refresher courses and learning new things as I help out.

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Erin in her painting class.  She is beginning her first painting on a big canvas. 

 Jonathan in his Anime class. 

 This is Erin's first project in painting which kind of gave her the techniques for her bigger picture.

 I am helping out in the Color Pencil class and I tried their assignment at home.  Here is my apple.

That's all I have for updates for now.  Blessings to you all.